UCLA Football: Chip Kelly Reflects on Departing The Pac-12

I will remember you

The 2023 college football season is slowly approaching, Bruin fans. It will be a monumental year as this will be the last we see the Bruins in Pac-12 before heading to the Big 10 Conference in 2024. 

The Bruins will be on a mission to leave a lasting mark on whatever will be left of the Pac-12 after this season. Although the move is a necessary one that will benefit the program and the Big 10, it's still bittersweet to leave a conference they spent 95 years in. 

It's incredibly bittersweet for UCLA head coach Chip Kelly, who coached in Oregon for four seasons plus going into his sixth season at UCLA. He's collected many memories in the Conference of Champions and reflected on them during the Pac-12 media day. 

 "I'm so affectionate towards the conference and have so many good friends here," Kelly told ESPN at Pac-12 media day. "The Pac-12 is a special place, but it was one of those deals ... I found out [UCLA was leaving] two hours before it was going to happen."

(via ESPN)

Overall, Kelly has coached 11 seasons in the Pac-12. He's had much success in the conference and will look to take that into the Big 10. 

Although the move is controversial, Kelly believes Pac-12 Commissioner George Kliavkoff and associate commissioner Meron Hanks had no hard feelings about the move. 

"You understand it and I think even the league understands it," Kelly said. "And I'll credit [commissioner] George [Kliavkoff] and [associate commissioner] Merton Hanks have been great to me and to our team. They're classy as heck, but it's just the world we live in in college football. It's driven by money. Whatever the money is, people are incentivizing it enough to make it where you would never think you would do it, but then you find out [the media rights distribution is] probably twice what you get in the other league and you're like, 'OK.'" 

(via ESPN)

Many don't like the move, and many think it is a bad move for UCLA on a football aspect, but this will be a success as it will better the program from top to bottom. 

The Pac-12 will always hold a special place in the Bruins' hearts, but we look forward to the new journey ahead.